


Breathe

by eirylaezaes



Category: Baldur's Gate
Genre: Gen, they're just so stupid
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-18
Updated: 2021-01-18
Packaged: 2021-03-16 12:49:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,206
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28831485
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eirylaezaes/pseuds/eirylaezaes
Summary: Zemi needs a good night's rest - and a good meal - but Astarion's constant vigil isn't making it easy. A.K.A. two dumbass vampires shocked to learn that the other is a vampire, more at 11.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 13





	Breathe

_Inhale._

_Exhale._

_Inhale._

_Exhale._

_In-_

The half-elf shakes his head internally, trying not to scowl in frustration. 

_'No, that's... that's wrong. Too fast. You're supposed to be asleep. Sleeping. Like…_ **_normal_ ** _sleeping. Calm yourself. Slower. Sloooower.'_

_Innnnnhale._

Pause. 

_Eeeeexhale._

_'Good... I think. At least... it's better. Maybe a little louder?"_

He does his best to relax before he continues breathing in... and out, deeper than before.

In... and out. 

Breathing really shouldn't be so stressful - and yet.

...though despite the initial frustration, he's actually quite proud of himself for how well he's doing, given that he hasn't had to breathe in... what, seventy-five years? He hasn't had to _convince_ people of it for a while, either. 

He lets out an experimental snore - something to _really_ seal the deal - but immediately realizes it was a mistake. Despite not being overly loud, the noise sounds absolutely ridiculous coming out of him and tickles his nose and throat, nearly causing him to laugh. He scrunches up his face and rolls over, facing away from the fire and hoping no one can see the combination of amusement and discomfort currently plastered all over his face.

He takes a second to collect himself before shifting his focus back to his breathing - no snoring, this time.

He knows he needs to sleep eventually, but would rather be the last asleep and first awake. He needs his companions convinced that he's... somewhat normal. He needs them to know that he's safe. He needs them to know that he can be trusted. Breathing is just the first step.

Outwaiting most of them is easy, but the elf fills him with an anxiety he can't shake. He doesn't sleep at all. He's often up late, much later than him, and when he does rest, he just… sits there. Trancing. Semi-conscious. Perceiving. 

_Listening._

Zemi needs Astarion to hear him breathe.

His next exhale is more of a sigh, his frustration returning. Although he appreciates having a lookout, Astarion's help is a double edged sword. Aside from just… breathing… he finds that feeding is getting harder with every passing night. He can't keep making excuses for going off into the woods alone in the middle of the night without drawing suspicion, and suspicion is the _last_ thing he needs right now.

In an attempt to appear somewhat normal, he's been sleeping less, feeding less, and _gods_ , has it taken a toll. He's not weakened - no, not yet - but he's not usually this _irritable_... and with that irritability comes a sense of guilt that weighs heavy in his gut. He shouldn't be so annoyed, especially with Astarion… at least for this specific reason - _the bastard's just trying to help, for fuck's sake_ \- but he can't help but mostly blame _him_ for his current situation.

He wishes elves weren't immune to Sleep. He can't even cast Sleep. _He_ needs some fucking sleep. He needs a good night's sleep and a fresh kill or he's going to lose his fucking _mind._

He lets out another sigh and clears his throat before rolling back towards the fire - only to be face to face with the exact elf that's drawn his ire. 

"... ** _shit_**."

Zemi yelps and scrambles backwards, kicking blankets off of him in the process.

"W-what are you _doing_?!" he asks, wide, red eyes wildly scanning the other man's face for a _crumb_ of context.

"No, no - it's not what it looks like, I swear! I wasn't going to hurt you! I just needed… well… blood."

Zemi only stares at him for a few moments, eyes wide and mouth agape as he continues to scan the shorter man's face.

"W-why do you want my blood? What - what are you going to do with it?"

Astarion seems taken aback by the question and blinks a couple of times. He... thought it would be obvious by now.

"I'm… a vampire - but it's not what you think! I'm not some monster! I feed on animals! Boars, deer, kobolds - whatever I can get. I'm just too slow right now. Too weak. If I just had a little blood, I could think clearer. Fight better. Please."

Zemi looks even more dumbfounded than before, his gaze now locked onto Astarion's pleading eyes.

"Y-you want - you want _my_ blood? Like, um - t-to drink?"

Astarion pinches the bridge of his nose. Just how thick is this filthy little half-breed's skull?

"Yes. Now… may I?"

Astarion's frustration only builds as the half-elf's expression softens, his shock transforming into… amusement? He nearly _strangles_ the gangly, stuttering bastard when he begins laughing.

Zemi can't help himself. He laughs the hardest he's laughed in weeks. Maybe _months_.

" _What_ is so _funny_?" Astarion snarls, fed up with this idiot's cackling.

"I-it- oh _gods_ , it - the - the pig! I-I should've seen it - oh - p-please, Astarion, Astarion- I-I'm sorry," is all he's able to spit out in his throes of laughter. "I-I'm sorry - s-sorry, oh no, n-no, I'm not - n-no, please - l-listen!"

He lets out a breath to collect himself, though there's still some residual chuckles that are harder to fight off. Astarion looks _furious_ and visibly hungrier than before - and somehow, it only makes things funnier.

"Astarion, you, um - y-you can't drink from me."

"And this is comical to you? Witnessing my desperation, my pleading, and laughing directly in my face as I'm denied?"

Zemi shakes his head, giving the elf a small, remorseful smile.

"N-no, I mean… I'd, um - I-I'd let you... if I were alive. I'm laughing because it, um - i-it appears as if we're in the same boat."

It's Astarion's turn to look momentarily dumbfounded, and Zemi takes the opportunity to stand up alongside him. He stretches and cracks his back as the elf collects his thoughts.

"You're… a spawn?"

"I - yes. And, uh - I-I've been trying to figure out a way to sneak past you at night. To… to _hunt_ , um, y-you know?"

He lets out another small laugh and beams at the shorter vampire - dimples and fangs on full display.

"I-if you're hungry, I could, um… I-I could go hunt for the both of us. I… I'd actually, um - I-I'd be happy to. I enjoy it."

Astarion snorts, frustration gradually subsiding and slipping into amusement.

"Well, if you're offering… besides, I wouldn't mind _watching_ \- consider me… morbidly curious. I must say, this _really_ wasn't how I was expecting this evening to go. At best, I was sure you'd say no. More likely, you'd ram a stake through my ribs. _This..._ " he adds, smirking and gesturing vaguely in Zemi's general direction, "...this wasn't part of the equation at all. I'm surprised."

"Oh, I, um… I-I think you'll find I'm full of surprises," Zemi replies, tossing Astarion another shy smile - though Astarion swears he can detect a hint of a shit-eating grin. It's not nearly as polite as Zemi's usual smiles.

Not as kind.

Not as _soft_.

Not as _Zemi_.

...at least not the Zemi Astarion knows… but then again, he's realized that he doesn't really know Zemi nearly as well as he believed he did.

He may have to wait a bit longer than he wanted for _dinner_ , but his appetite will be satiated soon enough. His newfound curiosity, however - no, he has a feeling that won't be so easily sated.

**Author's Note:**

> this is my first fic in like... over ten years probably hdhfjfbdkf;; i thought the concept would be silly n ran with it
> 
> thank u and if u got to this point i love u 🥺😚


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